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5 Easy Tips for Photographing Your Home

Yay! You have a beautiful home you’re just dying to share…but ahead lies the daunting task of actually photographing it. Eek! No need to fear, it’s not as daunting as it seems! Today I’m sharing five easy tips for photographing your home. I’m a big believer that homes should be documented (and often!) I love looking back at photos my mom took when we were younger and remembering our red bunk beds or our tiny bulky tv in the corner of the living room. So fun! These tips can apply to any camera owner (iphone, point and shoot, or DSLR!) No matter how big or small your home is, it’s worth documenting (and sharing!)

MIX IT UP When photographing a room, I like to get a variety of wide angle shots mixed with closer, more detailed shots. A good mixture of the little details sprinkled in with photos of the room at large give your audience a good idea of the entire feel of the room. A variety of these types of shots are pure magic!

ADD SOME LIFE This is one key element that I’m working on. Adding a glimpse of life to your photos really makes them stand out. For instance, leaving some dishes (not dirty ones!) on the kitchen table makes it look like you’re about to sit down for a nice meal. Or leave a pair of shoes by the door or your phone and a pad of paper on the desk. Obviously you don’t want your shoes haphazardly lying on the rug, but carefully placed, these tiny objects add character to your photos. Better yet, photograph someone working or your kids playing in the playroom for some real life action shots.

FIND GOOD LIGHT And that means….turn off the light and turn off your flash! Yes, I mean it! When I leave my lights on in my house the photos turn out all warm and orangey tones. Yuck! And, I’ve mentioned before how much I dislike camera flashes. That’s a big fat NO in my book. The shadows mess up everything. Instead, try using the natural light your house has to offer. This ensures that the colors appear more accurate. When we first moved in, it took me awhile to figure out the light in each room. Our living room, for instance, gets great light in the morning time, but by noon, the good light is gone. Our kitchen has fabulous light in the afternoon and evening, while our master bedroom light time peaks early afternoon. Figure out when the best light is in each room, and photograph then. Another tip? Open your curtains! This lets in a good amount of natural light and makes the room easier to photograph. Avoid taking photos when the light is too harsh, though, you want just the right amount of soft light pouring in the make your photos magic!

MOVE AROUND Don’t just stand there, climb on top of that chair or lie on the ground. Sometimes I squat down to get eye level with the objects I’m photographing or get up really high! Different angles and views make for diverse, interesting photos of your home.

PHOTOGRAPH WHAT’S UNIQUELY YOU I love looking back at photos of our previous homes (and my house growing up!) and remembering all the fun things we had scattered about. Take photos of your wall hangings, the kids artwork on the fridge, or your favorite rug in the living room. These are what make your house your home!

P.S. If you share your home (or already have!) link them up below. I’d love to see them!! XO

We had the same problem in our first apartment! Not a lot of light. If you have a door that leads to the outside, open that up! I have to do that in our living room here all the time, it lets in so much more light, even if it is cold :)

Thank you for all your tips! I'm slowly learning how to use my camera that I've had for 4 years! Wish I lived closer so I could have attended your class on how to use the manual setting! Thank you for sharing your life! I look forward to your posts!

Hmm...that's a little tricky! If the room I'm shooting has super low light, I will open the door (if it's the living room or other room with an outside door!) that usually lets in a decent amount of light. Having a reflector (or even a white piece of cardboard) works well to bounce off even the little bit of light that's in the room. If it's really super dark, then it might be best to turn on a few lights. Our lights are super warm & orangey, but I know you can get more natural looking light bulbs that help with photographs a lot! :) Hope that helps! xoxo

I adore your blog :) Such a great post. I've gotten over how ridiculous I look to get just the right angle, but sometimes I catch myself being a little self-conscious when I know people are watching me take photos and giggle.